We've Seen Bane's Introduction!

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What did we think of our first glimpse at Nolan's last Batman movie? Our reaction to The Dark Knight Rises IMAX prologue.

By Jim Vejvoda

It was almost exactly four years ago that the first six minutes of The Dark Knight -- the Joker's introduction -- was released in IMAX for rabid fanboys to devour. IGN was among the first media outlets to screen that prologue footage, released while Heath Ledger was still alive, and to chat with director Christopher Nolan afterward. Now, four years later, we once again find ourselves screening an IMAX prologue to a Batman film and chatting with Nolan about it, but this time it's for The Dark Knight Rises and the introduction of Bane (played by Tom Hardy).

The specter of Ledger's Joker has loomed large over Nolan's third and final Batman film. Fans and industry pundits alike have wondered whether Bane could escape from under the shadow of Ledger's Oscar-winning Clown Prince of Crime. It was bitterly ironic then to note that I was viewing this Dark Knight Rises/Bane footage on the day that Joker creator Jerry Robinson died.

Tom Hardy as Bane

After a brief introduction by director Christopher Nolan, Warner Bros. screened roughly the first seven minutes of The Dark Knight Rises for an eager collection of media at the Universal City IMAX theater. The prologue is a massive action set-piece set somewhere in the Central Asian wilderness.

The prologue ties directly in with the viral marketing campaign "Operation Early Bird" and the "leaked CIA memos" about missing Russian nuclear physicist Dr. Leonid Pavel (Alon Abutbul). As the viral marketing materials have established, the CIA is making a deal with local militia to turn Dr. Pavel over to them. Needless to say, Bane throws a wrench into the CIA's machine in an aerial action sequence that could only be more Bond-like if it ended with a Carly Simon song playing over the opening credits.

Exit Theatre Mode

Overall, this was a very sweet action set-piece (accomplished using mostly practical effects) that hearkened back to one of The Dark Knight's biggest sequences. We have one major gripe with this otherwise very cool action-packed opening: No one could understand what Bane was saying! I spoke to a number of people afterward and we all had trouble making out what Bane was saying. I understand wanting the audience to pay close attention, but Bane's voice is muffled by his mask. Bane's words are important to the plot and help explain why he and his henchmen are willing to sacrifice themselves to accomplish their mission. Hardy's Bane voice sounded distinct and cool, but again it's pretty important that we hear exactly what he's saying! Here's hoping they dub Hardy's voice to a higher decibel level in post so that nothing's left to chance.

The prologue ended with a brief sizzle reel (not all of which, we learned after, will make it into the upcoming new Dark Knight Rises trailer). There was brief new footage of Anne Hathaway as Catwoman and Selina Kyle, Christian Bale as Batman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt's John Blake, the new Bat-aerial assault vehicle, massive brawling on the streets of wintry Gotham, and, of course, Hardy as Bane. The final awesome shot of Bane will send a chill up the spine of every Bat-fan!

Check back soon for our exclusive chats with Christopher Nolan and his wife-producer Emma Thomas!

The Dark Knight Rises IMAX prologue debuts in select theaters with the December 16 sneak preview run of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol in IMAX.